The present invention relates to a new configuration for the dimples on a golf ball surface which improve the flight characteristics of the ball.
According to the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.) rules, a golf ball may not have a weight in excess of 1.620 ounces or a diameter smaller than 1.680 inches. The initial velocity of balls conforming to U.S.G.A. regulations may not exceed 250 feet per second with a maximum tolerance of 2%. Initial velocity is measured on a standard machine kept by the U.S.G.A. A projection on a wheel rotating at a defined speed hits the test ball, and the length of time it takes the ball to traverse a set distance after impact is measured. U.S.G.A. regulations also require that a ball not travel a distance greater than 280 yards when hit by the U.S.G.A. outdoor driving machine under specified conditions. In addition to this specification, there is a tolerance of plus 4% and a 2% tolerance for test error.
These specifications limit how far a struck golf ball will travel in several ways. Increasing the weight of a golf ball tends to increase the distance it will travel and lower the trajectory. A ball having greater momentum is better able to overcome drag. Reducing the diameter of the ball also has the effect of increasing the distance it will travel when hit. This is believed to occur primarily because a smaller ball has a smaller projected area and, thus, a lower drag when traveling through the air. Increasing initial velocity increases the distance the ball will travel.
Drag on a golf ball is also reduced by forming a plurality of dimples, often circular, in the outer surface of the ball. The dimples serve to reduce the pressure differential between the front and rear of the ball as it travels through the air.
Numerous dimple configurations for use on golf balls are well-known in the patented prior art, including contoured dimples. For example, the Oka et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,039 discloses a golf ball having a plurality of polygonal dimples which have a double slope in section so that the dimples appear to have an inner configuration matching that of the polygon. The Cadorniga U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,076 discloses a golf ball having a plurality of dimples with major and minor portions in the manner of a dimple within a dimple. The major portion has a first spherical span and the minor portion has a second spherical span less than the first span, with the minor portion being arranged within the major portion. Both the Oka et al and Cadorniga dimple designs are to improve the flight and aerodynamic performance of the golf ball.
The present invention was developed in order to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the dimples on a golf ball so that the ball will travel a straighter and a greater distance than conventional golf balls having circular dimples.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a golf ball having a spherical surface including a plurality of dimples arranged in the surface. At least one of the dimples includes an outer edge defining a geometric configuration at the intersection with the spherical surface and a concavity in the ball surface. The concavity has a bottom surface containing a plurality of grooves, the grooves being concentrically arranged relative to the geometric configuration. The depth of the grooves relative to the outer edge increases from an outermost groove to an innermost groove.
According to a further object of the invention, the spacing between the grooves is equal. The grooves may have either a stepped or V-shaped configuration and the dimple may be circular or oval.